


Galra Troubles

by ChampionShirogane



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Clumsy Kisses, Comfort, Galra!Keith, M/M, Mostly Fluff, Slow Build, Underlying Angst, confused feelings, klance, lets pretend the season 2 trailer didnt happen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-07-28 19:04:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7653178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChampionShirogane/pseuds/ChampionShirogane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a climatic resue mission,Keith is now struggling to deal with how he feels about his Galra lineage, fortunately Lance's beef headedness seems to be the best medicine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is set some point during the time frame of the general season 2 area. It's a silly idea but I felt the need to indulge in it anyway. So I guess this is an AU.

Keith's routine hadn't changed, even though he had, or would it have been fairer to say that he'd had to face a side of himself that he'd, until now had the luxury of forgetting/ignoring, it was a small wonder seeing as he shared physical traits with the enemy. Being human had been fun while it lasted, but now he wondered if his fellow paladins would still consider him one of them, after all his sudden transformation had hit the teams morale hard.

Keith now stood in front of his mirror there were now a few more changes, aside from the purple skin, he'd now realised that there were now patches of fur about his neck and jaw in the exact same hue, graduating from normal feeling skin, to 'peach fuzz' to full fur. His ears had now elongated and his black hair had purple undertones. Needless to say, Keith despised the visage in front of him.

For the past few nights he'd sat up trying to attempt to will himself back to his more human countenance, though with no luck. He was now stuck with the face of the enemy, he'd tried to approach Shiro, to try to explain himself, but all he got was a look of uncertainty and pity on the man’s face, the other paladins hadn't said much either, though Lance seemed to maintain his usual snark in regards to his general attitude towards him, though in many ways Keith found comfort in the Blue Paladin's general beef headedness. Then again when he'd transformed on the battlefield a few days prior, Lance had not caught a glimpse of him the way Hunk and Shiro had since he and Pidge had been scouting the area in case of an ambush. No doubt they had at least heard about his transformation.  
Nobody had tried to imprison him, maybe if he'd unlocked the door when they called he'd actually have been able to see that they were in fact worried for him, but he just did not have the fortitude to see any more of his friends look at him any different, Shiro probably hadn't meant to let it show on his face, after all he'd been imprisoned and tortured by the Galra for a year so that was natural. Keith harboured no resentment to the man over it, Shiro just needed time to get used to him looking the way he did now, however it didn't stop the fact that that it left him feeling more than a little hurt and disappointed at their exchange.

He'd jumped out of his skin as he heard a knock on the door, from the tone he just knew it was Lance....again....

“Hey Mullet! Let me in.” He called through the metal doors, lazily giving it another few knocks.

“Go away!”

“Do you have any idea how bored I am without you to argue with? And doing it through the door just isn't the same.” He added, despite his words being pretty rude, they were laden with the fact that he just never had the ability to admit that Keith was someone that he cared for. Sure he often exchanged insults with him, yet it just meant that they considered each other important enough to get mad at, as such was their odd friendship.

“The answer is still no.”

“Right... Fine.” Lance's words were a little clipped as he rummaged through his pockets for a gadget he'd hoped not to use but this was for Keith's own good. A grin crossed his tanned features as his fingertips brushed the smooth metallic surface of Pidge's little invention “Have it your way.”

Keith had barely enough time to react as the door 'whooshed' open causing him to dart to the corner of the room with his jacket over his head.  
“What the hell are you doing?!! Get out.” He snarled as he kept his back to the Blue Paladin, he didn't need to see his face to know he was now rolling his eyes.

“I'm already here now.” He retorted as he glanced around the dimly lit room before sitting next to the other. As expected his room didn't really have too many personal items gathered aside from clothes and that strange knife Keith always had with him, which was now on top of his pillow. He screwed his face up as it dawned on him that he probably slept clutching it. There had been a lot he didn't know about his companion despite their rivalry stemming from the academy, he knew that he was a talented pilot, as loathe as he was to admit it, and they didn't particularly hate each other either, but Keith up until they got sucked through the wormhole, had only really been close with Shiro, there were no friends, no family ties so the Red Paladin was just a mystery wrapped in an enigma. It was pretty disappointing that seeing his living quarters yielded no more clues to who the real Keith was. A sigh of exasperation escaped his lips as Keith twisted around further as not to show his face. However the first thing he noticed was the purple clawed hand that gripped the red jacket in place.

“So it's true?” Lance's voice seemed a little softer as he realised that the rumour had been true, Keith had been one of 'them'. He'd actually been a little nervous about what he'd find upon confronting his rival, he'd expected him to be a little more monstrous looking, after all that's what he'd prepared himself for , yet being near him felt no different. His height and build had pretty much remained the same, and those same mannerisms hadn't completely gone and Lance was both relieved and a little disappointed that Keith wasn't too different in his demeanour.

The fabric of the jacket shifted as Keith nodded, he'd expected the other to have some smart comment or even act a little hostile seeing as Lance was often impulsive which was both one of his best and worst traits. The slight tightness that had settled in his chest seemed to have eased off, there was something in the way the other spoke that put him at ease, there was no fear or disgust, only that hint of concern that edged the brunets voice.

“You gonna hide under there for the rest of your days? ... Lame…” Lance sighed as he flopped back onto the bed, his blue eyes not leaving the other's back.

“And you're telling me that you wouldn't act the same if it was you?!!” Keith now had Lance by his shirt, the jacket had now slid off his head and in a pool by the other male’s head, his sharp teeth gritted as he seethed with frustration as he stared into the other male’s eyes.  
All Lance could do was stare at him in mild shock, not because of his appearance, but more because he hadn't expected to get under the other’s skin quite so easily given how Keith was generally level headed to the point that at times he'd come off as a little cold or aloof. Still this was better than seeing the guy moping as though the world had ended. The strangest part of all this was that he did not feel threatened by the fact he was pretty much pinned down, they'd been in such states many times before, this was pretty standard for them during the many times they had bickered, there was no malice, only Keith's trademark hot headedness and more than anything Lance was relieved to see that that side of him had remained intact.  
A signature cocky grin crossed Lance's tanned features as he ducked out of the Red Paladin's grip which had actually been half assed considering what he knew he was capable of.

“Actually this is kind of an improvement.” He teased, giving Keith a playful nudge with his fist. Now that Lance had gotten a good look at his comrades face, he really didn't look too different, the shape of his nose, lips, eyes and jawline were very much Keith's, it didn't take too much effort to see past his new physiology. “You still got that face I'd love to slap and-- OH MY GOD!!”

“They twitch…” Lance's voice was a gleeful gasp as he pointed to Keith's ears which flicked back and forth with annoyance.

“Wait... Are you mocking me?” Keith's tone was dry as he realised that Lance had the attention span of a wet fish, but why was there a warmth within him when his new appearance hadn’t been seen in a negative light? Perhaps he was giving the other too much credit, he probably saw it as a novelty at best... /A novelty huh?/ He mused as a hit of disappointment kicked in, already he was annoyed that something marginally positive had been cheapened by his own mind. It was a dumb thoughtless compliment (if it could be called that) but it made him feel like less of a monster at this point.

“Pfft...Maybe.” Lance snickered though it would seem his attempt at dragging the other paladin from the depths of self pity was finally beginning to pay off as they began to bicker and insult each other, and for the first time Keith had a taste of normality- Not before chasing his cocky self proclaimed rival out of his room and down the hall, both men almost barrelling into a very confused Hunk before finally heading up to the training deck.  
Lance however was revelling in how easy it was to provoke the other male, sure Keith was aloof and at times a little cold, but he was also pretty impulsive and not always too great at realising when others were being playful with him. In the beginning he'd felt that it was due to him thinking he was just....'better' than him and everything else but fighting alongside him, and considering that he hadn't been fully human to begin with a lot of Keith's personality traits started to make sense.

As expected it was quiet aside from the low hum of the computer system that governed the room, but for now they were alone as they stood there gasping for air.  
Keith looked about the training deck, a place all too familiar to him yet he'd avoided it for the past few days in case any of the others walked in and decided that the reason he'd spent so much time there was due to his Galra lineage, for 10,000 years they'd conquered galaxies and destroyed worlds, it would be no wonder many would think that. His chest burned with the need to catch his breath as he glanced over at Lance who was just staring intently, his blue eyes met with Keith's own as he nodded towards the weapons rack.

“What are you getting at?” The Red Paladin's voice was clipped with mild annoyance as he immediately assumed that Lance had been trying to insinuate his innate savage nature.

“Dude, first of all calm your tits.” he retorted as he began to do a few light stretches, his bed shirt rode up to display a decent amount of tanned skin, and much to Keith's surprise despite his lanky frame, the Blue Paladin did have a pleasing amount to tone.

He stood there mortified as it dawned on him that he had been staring at his comrade for a little longer than was necessary, fortunately, judging from Lance's lazy expression he hadn't noticed , he then proceeded to bend down and touch his toes. Clearly luck was not on the Red Paladin's side tonight, he had far too much on his plate. He could just about accept that he was part Galra, but he was not ready or willing to admit that he might have some attraction to the Blue Paladin. Nah, that was unlikely, such thoughts never crossed his mind and Lance was just in his line of sight, nothing more. 

“Fucking ridiculous.” Keith hissed unknowingly under his breath as his thoughts manifested themselves which in turn caused Lance to return to his full height and was now quirking an unamused eyebrow at him.

“What??”

“I didn't say anything.” The Red Paladin's words were hasty and defensive as the taller male was now giving him his full, undivided attention. He'd been careless, yet there had been no context to his outburst, so maybe his little secret was safe, besides he'd have to get his head checked if he had a thing for Lance of all people. Of course it was stupid, he was just riding his own confusion, he'd just realised that he hadn't been human all this time, God only knows how that fact about himself evaded him, not a hard thing to hide being a violent purple alien... Right. Writing off his thoughts as being a product of confusion, vulnerability and generally his brain being a mess, he finally found a means to change the subject. “So why did you bring me here of all places?”

Lance just stared at him as though Keith had asked the stupidest question in existence.  
“Because you used to spend most of your time up here, didn't you come up here to let off some steam? Dammit, Keith, I am trying to help you out but you're being a bigger prick than usual.”  
“Look, I don't know what the hell happened during that last mission, same with Pidge. All we know is what we'd heard from Hunk and Shiro.”

Keith froze at the mention of Shiro's name, the last time they had been face to face, their leader’s face had had some semblance of fear in his eyes, of course Keith didn't hold it against him and he knew that Shiro hadn't expected it, but given how they had always been so close which was why he'd closed himself away while he regrouped. Some good that plan had been, he hadn't taken into account that Lance was so damn stubborn. He hated how in this moment he felt compelled to consider opening up to Lance , after all as insufferable as he was, he'd been the only one to actually try to get him to open up. Hunk had left food by the door having been locked out, Pidge may have made the device that the brunet had used to enter his quarters, yet it was the cocky Blue Paladin that had somehow retained his usual attitude even after finally seeing his new form. He considered him irksome at best most days but in some weird twisted logic it meant that he always knew where he stood with him.

Guilt gripped Lance as he saw the look of pure hurt on Keith's face, he may be competitive and often jealous of his friend but despite the challenges and the bickering he actually did care for his 'rival'. Seeing him look so lost was painful to watch as he approached the other, gently placing a hand on Keith's shoulder. If there was one thing Lance was good at was being able to offer comfort when it was truly needed, being from a large family tended to do that, also he'd hung around Hunk too long.  
“I take it Shiro didn't react how you'd hoped?”

“Not really.... I can't exactly blame him, and I'm sure he'd actually be fine with me now, it's just I can't get that look out of my head. I never expected him to look at me like that.”

“Well, for what it's worth I know he's worried about you. Or he seems to feel guilty...or both” Lance replied, rubbing the back of his neck as he recalled the amount of times he'd seen the leader knock on Keith's door, only to have no response. “The thing I don't get is why you didn't let him in? You guys are usually pretty tight, so watching the two of you mope is driving me and Pidge nuts.”

“Pidge knows about 'this' too.” Keith gestured to himself , still not fully able to all out say that he was part Galra, also given the Green Paladin was a couple? Few? Years younger it was no surprise that there was a chance that he worried her. Then again on the other hand there was a huge chunk of time where he'd believed she had been a boy the whole time and maybe there might be a little more understanding there. Or so he hoped.

Lance was beginning to get frustrated with his rivals periods of silence, he could practically hear the other male’s brain whirring away as he disappeared into his mind, no doubt thinking about useless things. With a low groan he flicked Keith on the forehead, making him howl with surprise as he rubbed at the red mark between his eyes.

“What the hell??...Lance!” He stammered as he watched the culprit shrug as though the gesture had been no big deal.

“You need to get over yourself and yes, she knows, along with everyone else. Three days is plenty of time for the dust to settle and no matter what, just like the rest of us you are a Voltron Paladin... You are team Voltron for life even if you totally blew that epic cheer I made.” Lance pouted, in fact he was more bitter about Keith messing up their team cheer than being part Galra. “And yes- I am still going to sit your ass down and make you learn it.”

Keith let out a sigh, it was just like Lance to go off on a tangent and forget about the point he was making, but he was able to deduce where he had been going with his rant. Truth be told it stung a little as Lance, dorky, loud, human Lance would never fully get what he was going through but there was no denying that he had to try to make the best of it, or show the others that he was still the Keith they knew. Getting chided and reminded about his Paladin status was what he needed to hear, since forming their team he had finally felt as though he was able to bond with people aside from Shiro, also he sought comfort in the fact he was fighting for something worthwhile, if he wasn't equally as stubborn maybe he'd thank Lance for yet another 'bonding' moment.

“Okay, fine I'll make an effort with the others, but I am NOT learning that lame cheer.”

Lance was now staring at Keith with an expression that was akin to if Keith had killed his parents and farted on the family cat.

“I can NOT believe you just said that.” By this point Lance now had a palm either side of Keith's face, squishing his cheeks so his lips puckered like those of a fish. “Take that back.”

“No.” Keith's forced fish pout had broken into a squished smile as he savoured the other's dramatic reaction. Why did it always feel so good to bicker with Lance? Clearly they didn't exactly hate each other but it was moments like these where he let a bit of his true personality show. Had anyone else back at the garrison heard about this (very) slightly playful side they would scoff at the notion. “We both know it was stupid.”

“Do you know what else is stupid?” He retorted, finally letting Keith go as he pointed wildly.

“What?”

“Your face!”

“Wow...so original, my mind is well and truly blown, good job Lance.” He rolled his eyes as he sat down on the floor, his golden eyes regarding the other with curiosity, if anything Lance was definitely as unpredictable as he was well meaning, no doubt this was why neither had killed each other. Even Coran noted how they were so different and yet so alike- Of course both guys violently denied such a crazy idea, the advisor was eccentric, it wasn't as though he worked by regular logic by a long stretch. 

“Thank you, I'm glad you agr-- Wait…” Lance paused suddenly as Keith's sarcasm finally sank in. “Oh right. You're trying to be a smart ass, cookie for you.”

“Wait we have those here?” Keith asked, as he took the taller male a little seriously, holding onto a small shred of hope that there was something else to eat aside from that food goo.

“No. No we do not,for crying out loud Keith, for someone that likes dishing out sarcasm, you really don't know how to recognise it. Unbelievable.” He threw his arms up in dismay as he stared at his Galra companion, how one could usually seem to have his shit together be so oblivious?

“Pity.” A wry smile crossed his features, he wasn't really that bothered about the food item, nor was he feeling particularly offended at the others little outburst, but rather he savoured the temporary relief that at least one fifth of the Paladin's wasn't treating him any differently. Though he hadn't expected Lance to be the one to settle the doubts in his mind, and now he was finally beginning to formulate how to approach the others.

“Hey Lance.”

“What?”

“Thanks.”

Lance visibly shuddered at the other males sincere gratitude, this was not how their conversations usually went, sure it gave him that warm feeling in his chest that he'd made his rival feel a little more like himself, but this was too weird.  
“I think I prefer it when you're not trying to be nice, it's creepy.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith finds the courage to face Pidge and Hunk, however Lance takes a playful comment too far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slow burn, I promise it will be worth the wait. I just wanted to see the boys struggle a little first haha.

Keith was never a real fan of mornings as he lie in bed his clawed thumb tracing the contours of the Galran knife he'd carried with him, Lance's little intervention still fresh in his mind as he recalled how the other had treated him the same as always. Still he'd been almost more shocked that he'd genuinely been thankful to him, after all he was a cocky, insufferable loud mouth, so why did those aspects of the Blue Paladin's personality seem to offer him an odd sense of comfort?

“Damn Lance.” He grumbled as he set the knife aside and padded over to the corner of the room where he'd prepared a jug of water before slinking into bed. However his feeling of confusion in regards to his friend, paled in comparison to the fact it was time that he faced his fellow paladins. If there were to still continue forming Voltron together they were going to have to work their differences and doubts out. Or maybe he had fallen into the trap of expecting the worst case scenario, as such was his nature in regards to planning the next course of action.  
He paused for a moment as he recalled Hunks words months before whilst rescuing Allura... That his way of thinking had been 'cold'. At the time the comment never bothered him but what if next time he tried to act logically instead of being told that his opinion was cold, that it was 'typically Galran', he couldn't stomach that level of bias. Again he was most likely over thinking it and there was no way Hunk would twist his opinion in such a way. If Keith were to expect the others to trust him, he had to believe in them a little more too. What was it Coran had said when they had first banded together, that there were to be no secrets between them.

After downing a glass of cool refreshing water, the Red Paladin felt a little more like himself as he pulled on his boots and jeans, though now his morning ritual had a couple of added minutes as he now had to find time to drag a brush through the pale purple fur that covered his neck and clavicle, it was so damned thick that it matted after a night of sleeping on it, the only nice thing about it was that it was soft to the touch after being groomed. Aside from that it was a huge pain in the ass and the moment he figured out how to switch between his Half Galra and human forms he'd save himself a lot of time, stress and effort.

Once his neck scruff had been tended to he pulled on his black t-shirt before looping his knife to his belt at the base of his back and finally left the room, without being goaded by Lance. However he jolted as he almost put his foot into a large bowl of food goo, clearly Hunk had been by to drop off his breakfast. Slowly he bent down to pick up his breakfast and decided to make his way to eat it in the kitchen, no doubt Hunk and Pidge would be there chatting about how to make the data transference program more efficient, or at least they had been discussing that the last time he'd been around them.

The castle of lions was like a labyrinth for the most part yet it was laughable how little of the place the Paladins, probably with the exception of Pidge, had explored it. The soft bluish hues of the light systems offered the place a tranquil feel, it was so very Altean and that was a good thing. His head was a mess as he tried to run through all the ways to try to instigate a conversation with the others through fear he'd have to befriend them all over again... Not so much with Lance, he was considered a practice run at best and the guy was stubborn enough to pester him even if he became a clone of Zarkon himself. Keith lips curled in to a slight smirk as he thought about that scenario, it was ridiculous but not out of the realm of probability as far as the Blue Paladin was concerned.

/Here goes nothing…/ He mused as he stood in front of the kitchen entrance, his body freezing as he could hear Hunk and Pidge chattering about things that only nerds like them would understand or appreciate.

Quietly Keith shuffled into the kitchen and placed his plate on the table before sitting down and listening to their enthusiastic talk about alien technology, they had been so engrossed in the fact Pidge had made yet another mod on Green that they hadn't seen the Galran hybrid smiling fondly at them.

It had been Hunk that had noticed Keith sitting there, his sentence trailing off as he took note of the fact the Red Paladin was taking the moment to eat the gloop on the plate. After three days of leaving food outside of Keith's room only to collect the cold barely touched remnants hours later. It was no secret that the Yellow Paladin tended to act like a mother hen, especially when he knew full well that one of his team mates weren't eating properly even if said team mate was part Galra.  
When he'd seen the transformed Keith running to aid Shiro, Hunk hadn't known how to feel about that turn of events, they had been amidst the chaos and emotions were running high after only having a pretty damaged Shiro back fighting alongside them. In that moment the Red Paladin had looked no different from the Galra horde.  
Now that they were finally face to face it was clear that Keith hadn't really changed as much as his stress addled mind had perceived days prior, and now Hunk was overcome with guilt at having such negative thoughts in the beginning, as short lived as they were.

“It's good to see you up and about.” The engineer shot Keith an awkward smile as he finally took a good look at his fellow paladin, after all this was him now. However it wasn't hard to look at him, his features weren't as harsh as pure blooded Galran's, perhaps he had his human genes to thank for softer jawline, cheekbones and despite the golden hue of his sclera and iris, a common trait of the Galra, he still retained the slightly almond shaped eyes he'd had pre transformation. Though his words were a little strained, hunk had been sincere as he sat down heavily on the opposite seat.

Keith remained silent as he watched the subtle changes of the larger Paladin's expression, it was clear that Hunk was going to need a little time to adjust to him being the way he was, however it just seemed to be a mild curiosity at most, and no doubt he'd have some questions about his 'change' later once the dust settled.

He'd been about to push another spoonful of bland food goo in his mouth when he noticed that Pidge was staring at him with eyes as wide as saucers, or was that because those glasses magnified her already large inquisitive eyes. Unlike Hunk she was less subtle in the way she drank in his appearance although it was clear that she really was not looking him in the eye. Rather the Green Paladin's gaze was set a couple of inches higher.

A slight groan escaped his lips as the spoon that he'd held hovering by his lips was now set down as he glanced at the diminutive paladin. It was the ears? Definitely the ears, and quite frankly he had not been surprised in the least, especially after how taken Lance had been with them the night before. Speaking of Lance, where was he? Having both the Yellow and Green Paladins stare intently at him over breakfast was unnerving and he almost would welcome the cocky Blue Paladin breaking up this awkward silence.

“So uh, you did some stuff to Green yeah?” Keith asked as he turned to Pidge, he was never really all that great at small talk and most the time he was okay with his own company but logically the sooner he made an effort to ease any doubts the others may have about him now, the sooner things might return to normal.

Pidge finally met Keith's eyes with a cheerful smile, as happy as she had been that someone aside from Hunk had taken an interest in her technological prowess she was at least bright enough to know that he wasn't as interested in her tinkering than in reconnecting.  
“It's okay Keith, you don't have to force it.” The Green Paladin's voice though a little husky as far as young girls were was gentle and reassuring despite seeing through his plan.

“Yeah, what she said.” Hunk had finally piped up, but not before finally fixing himself up some breakfast of his own, “I mean you look weird, like reaaaaally weird, but that's all it is, right?”

He let out a loud 'Oomph' as Pidge jabbed a swift elbow into his gut before he dug his hole any deeper.

“What he's trying to say is,” she pushed her glasses haughtily up the bridge of her nose before continuing on. “That we don't think you're a bad person, but it is kind of a shock.”

“I know.” Keith replied with a sad smile, “I'd taken on a human form for so long that I guess even I forgot.”

“Keith...” Neither Pidge nor Hunk could say anything else as their comrades tone was plenty evidence that he'd struggled with his identity and what repercussions it would have on the team. It was strange how hearing ones name could be an expression of empathy. It was maybe a little misguided but the Red Paladin appreciated their efforts all the same.

He let out a gentle sigh as he leaned and rested his chin on his knuckles, he never wanted them to worry like this, it would seem they were still being cautious around him, though it was expected. He'd started the healing process having being forced to start with Lance the previous night and his time with Hunk and Pidge had gone a hell of a lot smoother than he'd anticipated, at least they hadn't suddenly started to hate him even if they were a little uncomfortable for now. Now he had to work out how to approach Allura and Coran, after all the Galra had exterminated their home planet and their entire race and civilisation all bar them, some mice and the castle of lions, Keith couldn't begin to fathom how they felt about him now. His stomach knotted with dread as his mind focused on all the possible scenarios and possibilities, yet he could not form a logical plan and he couldn't approach it in a rash impulsive way either. Then there was Shiro.....Considering their bond he was most likely the hardest to breach the subject with, as brave as he was, the Black Paladin's scars ran deep.

The slight optimism that had taken root seemed to have halted at the realisation that the hardest part was yet to come. Fortunately he didn't need to rush it, for all her hardships Princess Allura was amazing at maintaining her composure and grace almost effortlessly and was most likely to take a more diplomatic approach, though he feared she'd swallow her feelings if it meant keeping the team together. He didn't want some shallow alliance, he wanted his team back, these were his family or the closest thing he had to one. He could feel his throat grow a little tight as his emotions threatened to take hold, Hunk and Pidge exchanged worried glances, words of reassurance beginning to form on their lips when Keith cut them off.

“Ah, it's fine.”

“But…” Hunk had interjected only to be gently halted once more by Keith.

“No buts.” The red Paladin stated a little more firmly when he suddenly tensed up as he felt what seemed to be a pair of warm hands fondling his ears.

“LANCE! Quit it.” Keith snapped as he spun around to face the Blue Paladin who was wearing a blue bathrobe, lion slippers and a lazy smile, and as usual he was the last one to rise as per the norm. Hell he hadn't even shown any signs of fatigue after a night of sparring together.

Lance however looked at his rival defiantly as he swiftly returned to rubbing Keith's velvety soft purple ears, enjoying how irritated and worked up the shorter male seemed to get.

“Dude, you can't just touch a guy’s ears like that. Seriously I will end you” He hissed, though his threat seemed somewhat empty as his cheeks were burning red and he could feel his body feel a little peculiar. “They are really sensitive so just stop.”

Lances smile turned into a full blown shot eating grin as he pieced the evidence together, this was just too good, the amazing Keith actually had an exploitable weakness and what a weakness it was.

He leaned in closer, his eyes turning a little shifty.

“Holy crap, I can't believe that turned you on.”

“No it didn't.” He growled in retaliation as he slammed a palm into Lances face, however it did not stop him howling with laughter as Keith grew more irate and embarrassed at his insinuation. “And if you're quite done, I'm heading out.”

And with that he pushed past the Blue Paladin and out into the hall in an attempt to put a decent amount of distance between himself and Lance.

“What did I do?” Lance turned dramatically to Hunk and Pidge for some kind of validation, only to be met with their stone cold expressions.

“You took it too far man.” Hunk explained with a sigh. Having known the Blue Paladin since before joining the academy he knew full well what he was like. Yes, Lance was well meaning and nobody could ask for a better friend, but he took his role as the group’s jokester a little too far. And the incident with Keith just now had been one of those moments. “Pidge and I will head up to the training deck for now, you should go apologise.”

Being chided by Hunk was the epitome of knowing that you'd messed up, he was usually the most unconfrontational people he knew but the moment he took it on himself to actually tell you that you were in the wrong, you'd generally take heed of his words.

He hated that Hunk had been right, but what he hated more was that he genuinely felt bad for teasing Keith. Thinking back to when he'd stormed out Keith's facade had slipped and for a few moments he'd seen exactly how hurt his little joke had made him.

/I'm such a jackass./

Quickly he made his way through the castle, his mind trying to figure out where Keith would have stormed off too, of course he'd checked his room first of all. Of course he wouldn't be there, it was far too convenient. Fortunately as they were travelling space there wasn't too many places he could have gone. No doubt he'd find him one way or another.

Lances footsteps echoed through empty halls, his chest burning as he dashed the length and breadth of the castle warship, getting increasingly more irritated the longer he couldn't find the other. Though the annoyance was mostly at his thoughtless comment and partially because he was caring about finding Keith a little too much. They had been rivals for years so surely that was why he often thought about him perhaps a lot more than anyone else he knew, yet for all their arguing there were times that they had been so in synch that he forgot to pretend to hate him. Of course when it had been brought up he'd laughed in the other person's (Hunk's) face for such a crazy idea.

After twenty minutes of searching he finally found himself in the Red Lion's hangar, it was the last feasible place the other Paladin could be. It was dark and eerily still as he searched the area with no sign of Keith or his mullet. However after searching every nook and cranny of the room he couldn't find his elusive companion, he'd been so certain he'd be in there too. However just as he'd made to leave he heard a slight clattering inside the Red Lion.

“Keith?” He asked a little tentatively, his body a little tense as he recalled the last time he'd heard funny noises in a dark part of the castle it had attempted to eject him out of the nearest air lock. However that was highly unlikely as Allura had terminated King Alfor's corrupted data after that last incident. Still it had left quite an impact on him.

“I know you're in there.” Carefully he scrambled up the red lion and gave the head a gentle knock, “Come on, I didn't mean to be an ass.”

“Is that supposed to be an apology?” Keith replied stiffly from within his lion, which was now the only place he could get any peace after realising Pidge had crafted the perfect 'master key' for Lance’s personal use, so he could annoy him as he pleased. The Lion was the only thing the girl genius hadn't hacked yet.

“Kinda.” His reaction had been weak as it dawned on him that he was trying to justify his actions... This had been exactly what Hunk had warned him about in the past and quite frankly it was one of Lance's worst traits. It was no surprise that his reply had been met with even more silence from the hot headed Paladin.

“Look, I'm really sorry about what I said, I guess I just wanted to break the tension in there, looks like it backfired though.” Lance's tone had taken a quieter more sincere edge as he sat cross legged on the shoulder of the red lion, it felt as though he was back to trying to talk through the door again and not having any hints or clues as to what was going through Keith's mind was making this task increasingly difficult in many ways.

“So... Can you and your mullet let me in so I can apologise to your actual face and not the robot, it kinda ruins the effect y'know.”

After a few more moments large metallic jaws opened up just enough for Lance to clumsily scramble inside, perhaps this was Keith's attempt at being a little petty, clearly he was still mad but the fact he'd allowed the Blue Paladin inside the lion was an improvement.

In many ways both guys had preferred this set up, giving them a chance to vent to each other in private without alarming the others who already seemed uneasy.

Lance's mouth hung open slightly as he tried to apologise once more but hesitated when he noticed the cold expressionless look on Keith's face. He was used to the other being aloof and hot headed when displeased but throwing up his walls like that was a sure sign that an empty apology wouldn't fix it.

“I didn't mean to hurt you earlier.” He finally stated simply, instinct was telling him that the apology itself wouldn't make Keith want to forgive him, but it was now Lance's turn to swallow his pride and take the first step to fixing his turbulent friendship with the Red Paladin.

“Who says I was hurt?” Keith retorted, his expression still not changing, though there was a slight almost unnoticeable crack in his voice suggesting otherwise. Lance had been so obsessed with his rival for so long that he knew what was a normal for him and what was not.

“I've spent years of my life getting on your level, I like to think I would at least learn this much. I know I've mocked you a lot in the past but you've never reacted like this. I know that I messed up with the ear thing, looking back now I guess I humiliated you even if it was an accident.”

“Oh my god, I can't believe you're admitting you were wrong.” A dry laugh escaped his lips, he was still mad but that tension had ebbed away slightly. He'd never imagined the Blue Paladin deflated his ego for long enough to show a little humility.

“You don't have to be like that, you of all people know that this is hard for me.... You just love to see me squirm don't you?” He then eyed the Galra hybrid suspiciously.

“Yep.” Keith was now smiling now that he'd had his petty victory over Lance, truth was that he didn't want to remain angry at him, especially after their conversation the night before. He'd helped him ground himself despite his inner turmoil and that was a feat not to be taken lightly.

“I knew it.” Lance hissed in response before realising that oppressive aura inside the lion had gone and he'd never been quite so thankful.

“I'll let it slide this once but don't humiliate me like that again.” He stated firmly, causing Lance to tense up slightly. It hadn't been because it had had a strange effect on his body but rather the fact he hadn't understood why. Sure when he touched them himself to clean them he had never experienced such a strong physical reaction, was it because it was Lance touching them? His thoughts reeled back to the previous night and a few instances in the past where he'd felt content that the other was near despite being insufferable as hell.

“Ugh I don't need this.” He muttered not realising that his thought had become verbal, however his body turned icy cold when he noticed the human was staring at him with mild concern.

“Need what?”

Keith's face was now burning up as all the implications had surfaced in his mind, he needed to understand what his body was doing, and why it was only with Lance... Stupid, egotistical, dorky Lance. Why him?

“Uh… Nothing.”

“Clearly it is something as you've been acting strange since last night?”

The Red Paladin was at a loss for words, he didn't feel ready to confront his suspicions just yet but it would seem that Lance was not about to let it drop just yet.

“I don't want to talk about it. Nothing good would come of it anyway, hell I don't even know if my feelings are normal anymore.” Keith threw up his arms in surrender, he was just sick of trying to figure out if his emotions worked the same or whether this was his inner Galra talking. Or maybe he was just using his new found Galra status to run from the truth.

“And you think that going all lone wolf will make it all go away? That's bull and you know it.”

Something in Keith snapped, as the floodgates opened having been too tired to suppress it all anymore.  
“Oh? Like you know what I'm dealing with right now. I know I'm making everyone uncomfortable, you think I haven't realised that Shiro can't even look at me right now without pitying me, and on top of that, the one thing I really didn't need, is having to deal with looking at your stupid face and how much I want to–!” He stopped his sentence abruptly, he was not going to say it, he could feel a part of himself wither and die, his cheeks had gone a deeper purplish hue as he looked away, he could feel Lance’s eyes on him and he hated it.

Lance however hadn't quite expected that outburst and especially not the implication of that last broken sentence. He had been so sure that Keith saw him as more of an annoyance so this was very out of the blue, yet he wasn’t sure why he didn't feel all that grossed out by it either.

Keith was still looking away his ears slightly drooped as he spent those few moments wallowing in his own inflicted embarrassment. This was the second time in twenty four hours he'd caught the Red Paladin showing this side to him, no doubt the only other to see it too was most likely Shiro given how close they were. Then that left the fact that there was a huge chance that for all their conflicts the other had considered him worthy enough to let his guard down slightly. There was still a chance that it was mostly due to timing but this was Keith, and he was the cautious kind and it would take more than merely choosing the right moment to see him vulnerable. 

In many ways he could understand feelings of confusion, there had been times where he'd pondered exactly how much more he thought about Keith than was normal, he knew Hunk had thought this, it was written on his face as well as he'd often asked why he was so hung up on his rival. In many ways The Blue Paladin had been envious of the other, who was a flawless pilot that was on par with Shiro who was already a legend in his own right, he was cool, people took him seriously and that dumb pretty boy face of his.... It wasn't as though his last thoughts before sleep had often been of Keith, originally they had been flights of fancy of him becoming cooler than him, but since forming Voltron those thoughts had become less about competition and more about being his equal.   
His tanned features turned red at his strange conclusion, though there was a huge chance that he was merely confused, his companion seemed to have come to the same conclusion as they were now staring at each other with identical expressions In many ways both Paladins could imagine the divine creator laughing at them from afar, their lives were a joke. 

“Scooch over.” Lance muttered as he gestured for Keith to make room in the seat for him, he needed to sit down to process everything, no doubt Keith did too. 

Surprisingly the Red Paladin just nodded and complied before finally speaking up. “Well shit.... “ 

“Yeah.... We're a mess. But at least you know I don't hate you.” Lance finally stated. 

“I don't hate you either.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance and Keith come to terms with their feelings. Sadly it takes Lance getting injured for them to take that next step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the nerds start to talk it out, also I was pretty taken by the idea that Keith is an awful kisser.... for now.

Things had been a little turbulent after the conversation within the red lion, despite their very vague, very clumsy confessions both Keith and Lance were still struggling with this turn of events. Their conversations had been reduced to short answers and they often failed to make eye contact even when insulting each other.

The remaining members of Team Voltron could only look on with mild confusion and exasperation as their sudden change in attitude affected their work dynamic. Even more noticeable when forming Voltron during their training regimen, however that was already really awkward as Keith still struggled to talk to Shiro about his mixed Galran genes, though he knew the leader was trying to show that he still cared for Keith and his overall well-being, after all he'd often knocked on the Red Paladin's door countless time only to walk away upon not receiving a reply from the other. Perhaps it may have been considered selfish but he wanted to have that conversation when he understood a little more about his altered physiology. Naturally he'd had known even if all his older memories had been of himself in human form, the knife he carried, the one with the Galran sigil, made to be sharper than any blade created by human hands was one of many clues to this. More than anything he had felt as though he had betrayed Shiro by not coming clean, more than anything he regretted deciding to confess his lineage after said mission was over. That day never came as the Kerberos team had been announced KIA and when Shiro had miraculously reappeared in his life he'd been tortured and experimented on by the very race that he was- He couldn't do it.

However whilst in Voltron though individual thoughts and memories could not be shared, emotions however were always heightened and tangible as they worked as one to control the large metal warrior. The strongest emotions felt within the mech were Shiro's concern and uncertainty, however that was practically drowned out by the frustrations of Keith and Lance in their futile attempt to deal with the knowledge that they both experienced some attraction to each other. However because of such mental chaos completing the training objectives took a lot more effort than they should have and Allura had picked up on it and decided to call it a day so she could try to figure out how to keep her team of Paladins focused and ensure that their dynamic wasn't on the verge of shattering.

“Okay team, let’s try this again tomorrow.” Allura announced through the intercom, her expression on screen was that of someone that had grown tired of things happening out of her control. She was a princess, she should be able to inspire and motivate her comrades but they were just so very distracted and even she was feeling a few conflicting emotions too. However her feelings could wait, she wasn't needed inside Voltron as much as the others and as the overall leader she had to portray strength no matter how fragile it felt in that moment.

Fortunately the Galra seemed to have gone quiet for the time being, there were no imminent threats so perhaps they could all use this time to relax and regroup.

 

Hours later each Paladin had gone off to reconnect with themselves. Pidge and Hunk were in the Green Lions hangar going over a heap of encrypted data, Shiro was training and Keith was on the training deck as per the norm. Most people left him alone whilst in the heat of training, it was no secret that he'd claim the deck as his for the next two hours as he honed his body and let off steam. Often he'd start the 'Gladiator' off on a lower setting as a gentle warm up, but today he whacked up the difficulty a lot higher to contend with the amount of stress he was feeling in that moment. 

Using his cat like reflexes Keith dodged and parried with his cybernetic opponent, his body almost relying on muscle memory as he attempted to get his thoughts and emotions in order. Sadly this had proved rather difficult as his eyes would often wander to the quiet corner of the room where he and Lance had shared their little heart to heart, it was there that had started it off, in that moment he'd seen a more bearable side to the Blue Paladin which in turn opened the possibility that just maybe he held the brunet in higher regards than he had wanted to ever admit. Then there was the image of Lance’s shirt slipping slightly to expose his lanky yet surprisingly well toned torso. Forgetting where he was and what he was doing, he envisioned running his hands along that pleasing lean frame of his. His heart rate quickened slightly as his mind grew increasingly detached from the task at hand, more than anything he was thankful for a moment where he was not having a mini existential crisis over his Galran side, for the moment he didn't have that slight niggling sensation of self-loathing eating as his core.

Keith wasn't truly alone on the training deck as Lance watched the other male sparring from the safety of the viewing deck which kept him sufficiently hidden from the Red Paladins view as he watched his rival effortlessly attack and evade his opponent, as much as he hated to throw the guy a compliment no matter how attractive Lance thought the other was. There was no denying that Keith did possess a certain degree of grace and agility that he truly lacked. He, himself wasn't an awful fighter, far from it, in fact it was just that the Red Paladin just had that innate talent which surpassed his own hard work. There had been times when Lance had been bitter about that little fact, yet right now he was mesmerised by the Galra-hybrid's movements, it was almost awe inspiring to see him seem so focused. Or so he thought- In truth Keith had been the complete opposite as he gradually caved to his thoughts in his attempt to silence his doubts. 

The Blue Paladin's admiration turned to concern as he noticed a few subtle changes in Keith's movements, for starters he kept glancing in the corner for some reason, and his reaction time had slowed down by a fraction. His heart had been in his mouth as he'd noticed some very near missed by the 'Gladiator' a fraction of a second earlier and Keith's pretty face would be rended from his body.

His level of concern sky rocketed as he heard Keith call for a higher level of ability for his opponent, Lance’s hands covered his face as he groaned into them.

/Of all the stupid... Damn!/

Not wasting a second more, the Blue Paladin bolted from the viewing deck and down the spiral steps leading to the training area to ensure Keith wasn't about to get too heavily injured and considering how distracted he seemed he'd probably wind up dead if he carried on like this.

No sooner had Lance reached the bottom of the steps he could see that his premonition had started to manifest as Keith's reaction time had been too slow and had now found himself on the hard floor as the 'Gladiator' was preparing for a lunge.

“Keith!” He cried out as he body slammed into the robotic warrior, but not before it suddenly flailed its spear and slashed Lance across the shoulder and back. Not deep enough to incapacitate, but deep enough to most likely need some stitches. Within seconds he was staggering and dodging the 'Gladiator' as the Red Paladin landed his victorious blow thus ending the training.

Dropping his Bayard to the ground Keith ran to Lance's side, his eyes wild with worry as he tried to look the brunet over, bile rising in his throat at the realisation that this had been all his fault. He hadn't known that he'd been watched yet he was both thankful that he hadn't wound up dead but that wound that had been dealt to Lance looked pretty bad. Fortunately it would be nothing that some time in one of the healing pods wouldn't fix, Altean technology was certainly a godsend, yet how was he going to explain how his lapse of judgement and awareness had gotten his friend injured?

“Didn't think you'd be cradling me in your arms again so soon.” Lance stated as he tried to smile through the searing pain across his back, if there was one thing that annoyed him more than anything was to see Keith with such a pitiful look on his face. The Keith he knew was aloof, hot headed and kind of cool. “Just chuck me in the pod and I'll be fine, no biggie.”

“Dude! There's a huge deep gash along your back and you're trying to tell me it's 'no biggie'. You could have been killed.”

“And so could you.” This time the Blue Paladin's tone was firm as he reprimanded Keith, his blue eyes fixated on the other males expression, the one thing he was sure of was that such a slip up was very out of character for the Red Paladin.

“Seriously what were you thinking?”

Keith bit his lower lip and looked away, he knew had been foolish but already the blood saturating Lance's shirt and jacket was turning a russet brown as it started to dry. He knew he'd been a little unfair on the other, after all they'd pretty much confessed but had avoided the issue of where they stood with each other, but all that would have to wait.

“Look, that's not important right now. We need to get you to one of the Cryo pods before your wound gets worse. Stop being difficult Lance.”

“Oh, so I'M the difficult one, that's rich you mullet-headed edge lord. I can think of plenty of times when you've been worse. You really think your lone wolf attitude helps anyone? If it weren't for me you may probably have been killed. Once I get my sorry ass all healed up, you sure as hell owe me an explanation. ” 

The Red Paladin's face turned a little sour at as he was hit with the harsh truth, from Lance of all people. He hated to admit that he was right, he'd been plenty aware that those were his bad points yet during those rare times where he felt lost or stressed those traits often became more pronounced which was now exactly why Lance was bleeding pretty heavily.

“We can talk about it later but can we now get you healed up.”

“Keith... Can I not be put in the pod? I can't say that I trust them all that much.” He replied a little calmer after having the other male promise to clue him in on his weird attitude, now he could bring himself to make his request. After having been trapped in a pod during the King Alfor incident Lance favoured being patched up manually, usually by Shiro or Hunk. After all in the garrison they did have to learn some basic First aid including basic suturing. “I'd appreciate you doing me a solid and doing the whole patching me up thing?”

Keith merely nodded as he tried to help Lance to his feet, only to have him pull a face as the fabric of his jacket clung to his wound, no doubt it was not only painful but uncomfortable too. He was going to have to get him cleaned up fast so the jacket wouldn’t stick, having been in a fair few battles by this point the Red Paladin was not a fan of when that happened.  
“You sure you want me to do that?”

“Yeah, it's not going to kill me so if I can avoid being trapped in one of those things, I will.” He grimaced as he walked trying not to move his arms in an attempt to minimise any discomfort.

Within minutes they were in the infirmary and Lance was sat on a table looking slightly apprehensive as he watched Keith approach with the medic-kit, that look of sheer guilt on his face. As much as he lived to torment and mock his rival, doing so now would be what he'd consider a bit of a 'dick move'. Or rather he wanted the snarky hot headed Keith back.  
The Red Paladin paused for a moment before peeling the jacket from Lance's shoulder, so far so good, however the t-shirt was about to be the bigger issue seeing as the act of pulling it over his head would not only hurt a lot but irritate the wound also.

“I'm gonna have to cut the shirt, is that okay?” He asked as he held the scissors at the hem of the shirt.

“Well it's wrecked anyway, so knock yourself out mullet man.”

Keith shot the brunet an indignant look before carefully cutting along the length of the garment so the injured male could shuffle it off easier.

Now the garment was removed from Lance's torso Keith was finally able to get a good hard look at the damage that had been inflicted due to his negligence and poor judgement.

“Okay this might sting a little.” He stated in a firm but gentle manner as he took a swab and gently dabbed at the blood around the wound, ensuring that his clawed fingertips didn't touch the tender skin, the last thing he needed was to add to the other's suffering. A gentle sigh of relief escaped his lips as the wound didn't seem so bad now that most of the blood was cleared, he'd also need less stitches as the wound was only deeper nearer the centre, it was amazing how much luck Lance was given that any deeper and it may have damaged his spine or caused severe muscle damage.

After a little preparation Keith had successfully numbed the injury ready for a set of dissolvable stitches. He worked in silence as he bit his lower lip in concentration, his golden eyes narrowed as he focused at the job at hand alone. For someone that often enjoyed complaining Lance had kept still and silent which was very much appreciated by the part-Galran.

Moments later he'd completed the sutures and was now stood back admiring his handiwork, the line was a little messy but despite the stitches not being 'pretty' they were at least sturdy and functional.

“Raise your arms up.” Keith ordered as he began to wrap a bandage around the other male’s chest and shoulders, mostly to ensure that the wound remained clean and protected. It was then that the Red Paladin became increasingly aware of how close Lance's body was, it felt strangely intimate as he silently continued to secure them, all the while he couldn't help but take a mental note of the subtle tone of his back, the slight freckling on those tanned shoulders and the almost elegant neck.... Then he realised that it was attached to Lance and the illusion of elegance was lost as he decided to just liken him to a lanky as hell giraffe. Having been struggling with these new and strange feelings that had begun to bubble beneath the surface of his mind which was torn between whether it was something positive coming out of the recent chaos or whether the fact he was eyeing up his comrade was due to his Galra traits no longer being quite so suppressed. As insufferable as Lance could be, he didn't deserve to be led on if it was merely acting on an instinct that remained on a more carnal level. Sure he was cocky and a shameless flirt but after fighting and living alongside the guy, it was clear that he didn't quite manage to keep the bravado up all the time.  
/Great, now I feel like a jerk./

The Blue Paladin flexed slightly to test the firmness of the dressing, Keith had done a pretty decent job. It was a relief to not have things sticking to his wound and already his rival seemed to be slightly more relaxed now he was all cleaned and patched up. Still he seemed a little distracted as those golden eyes seemed to be staring at him, everywhere but his eyes it would seem. It wasn't so much a bad thing, he didn't feel uncomfortable or anything like that but it was a little intense causing him to swallow hard despite the dryness in his throat. Unlike Keith, Lance had at least enough experience to recognise the signs of a crush. After all, he'd often displayed them many, many times in the past. Not something he was proud of but he'd long accepted that side of his personality long ago. Keith was a mess, though it was really hard to say considering he didn't offer up his true feelings quite so easily, in that respect he was very different to Lance, not truly a bad thing but boy did it make him hard to figure out. Perhaps demanding the other explain himself earlier was a little harsh given how the curious looks and the tender touches spoke far louder than any words the Red Paladin could say. Then again this was Keith- As articulate as he could be when it came to strategy and speaking his mind, the verbalisation of his feelings was often clumsy or he'd go into full defensive mode, there was no in between. It was frustrating as hell.

“Perfect. Thanks Keith.” He offered his companion a bright smile once he was content with how the sutures were holding. “Though uh, mind if we keep this a secret from the others. I mean I'm already amazing so I can’t have 'heroic' added to the list of how awesome I am.”

There it was, that stupid trademark shit eating grin that graced the Blue Paladin's face and immediately Keith had to fight every urge in his body not to punch him in the back of the head no matter how tempting he was making it. The tense atmosphere dissipated with that one action, never before had it caused Keith such relief, if Lance was already acting like that then he was going to be fine. Hardly surprising considering the guy had the tenacity of a cockroach.

“Works for me.” Keith replied as he hopped up to perch on the table next to Lance, again both were in that exact same situation again, both aware and both hesitant about addressing their underlying feelings towards each other. Both were beginning to hate how stressful it was, after how things were left inside the red lion they both had been kept awake of thoughts of 'what if' and the sheer disappointment of not pursuing them.

Without looking the taller male in the eye, Keith found his fingers interlacing with Lance's, his face not betraying the fact that he'd actually been genuinely worried, or the fact he was relieved that the other male hadn't pulled his hand away. Was this okay? Generally Keith preferred to avoid physical contact, the only contact he tended to be used to was from Shiro who had taken to placing a hand on his shoulder or the top of his head from time to time and this had been all the encouragement he'd needed.

What Keith didn't see was that Lance was now staring at him in something akin to disbelief at the Red Paladin taking the initiative in this situation, given the slight redness adorning the black haired male’s cheeks, and the unexpected hand holding it was a clear sign of trust. He was now drinking the sight of his companion's profile. He'd often joked that Keith was the 'pretty boy' type, but now he was really looking at him he was oddly beautiful even with the Galran physiology, the gentle slope of his nose, the long eyelashes framing those keen perceptive eyes of his, even the stubborn set of his chin and lips only started to look pretty inviting.

After watching Keith chew on his lower lips for the best part of twenty seconds Lance inched his face a little closer, his hand gently offering a gentle squeeze of encouragement causing the other to face him.

Keith's eyes widened as they were practically nose to nose, Lance's warm breath was rolling across his face. What caught him off guard the most was that he didn't want to push him away. Instead he tensed up as softly parted lips brushed his own, immediately dawning on him that he'd never kissed anybody in his life, he knew he was bound to suck horrendously at this small affectionate action. It was too late to back out as he pushed his face a little closer groaning slightly as their noses bumped together. He pulled his face away slightly to angle his head so that wouldn't happen again only to get a little too eager and come back in a little too fast causing their teeth to clash.

“Ow...” Lance was now pressing his fingertips to his mouth as a little blood clung to his digits after being caught on Keith's teeth. “Looks like this is something I can beat you at.” He chuckled only to be met with the other males palm in his face.

“Right, I get it. I suck.” The Red Paladin snapped as he tried to hide his embarrassment of injuring Lance mid kiss, going along with it was a horrible idea. Seeing his peers at the Garrison and actors in films made this act look effortless, how come he was struggling with something so simple? As those thoughts manifested, he could feel his stubborn nature take over and drown out his embarrassment.

“Again.” He ordered in his most competitive tone, causing Lance to howl with laughter as how seriously he had started to take it.

“Okay, fine.” The Blue Paladin agreed as he wiped the blood from his lip, “But this time try to relax and follow my lead okay.”

Kiss attempt number two went a little smoother as Keith remained still in the beginning, allowing Lance to gently peck his lips before playfully nipping his lower lip which elicited a soft murmur from the Red Paladin. Smirking into the kiss he made a mental note that the other enjoyed that a lot. It wasn't long before a pale purple hand gripped his shoulders pulling him in closer in an attempt to deepen the kiss. Recalling the brunets actions Keith tried to mimic what he'd experienced though considerably less smoothly.

Lance welcomed the other male’s enthusiasm as he cupped Keith's face in his hands, his thumbs trailing along the soft 'peach fuzz' along the jaw, beneath the ears. However the temptation to allow his fingertips to venture higher to toy with those velvety ears was far too tempting, yet he didn't want to ruin the moment, especially after what happened the last time. The flustered expression that had appeared on Keith's face that day had been etched vividly in his mind, often invading his thoughts on many occasions.

Slowly they both pulled away panting softly and Keith offered the other a proud grin after finally getting the hang of the whole kissing thing, his hands lingering on tanned hips before kissing Lance on the shoulder.

“Not bad.” The Blue Paladin nodded as he grinned stupidly at the other, “You don't suck as much as I thought you would.”

“You're also not bad but I like it better when you talk less.” He retorted with a coy grin before hopping off of the table and clearing away the remnants of the first aid kit before anyone came by and decided to ask questions about that had transpired. “At least I have one way to get you to shut up now.”

“Wow Keith, that's just cold.” Lance pouted as he grabbed his jacket up in his arms, “That shouldn't be the only reason to kiss me.”

“Technically you started it.”

Lance opened his mouth to say something in retaliation but immediately stopped as it dawned on him that the Red Paladin was actually flirting with him. Pride welled up in his chest as he never knew he had it in him.

“Okay, fine.” He conceded as he turned to face the Galra. “Just so we're clear. This means that we’re sort of a thing now right?”

Keith stared at Lance for a few moments as the reality had finally hit, he and the Blue Paladin had transcended the point of friendship and camaraderie and had formed something a little deeper. It was almost laughable how it only took Lance getting himself injured for them both to take the next inevitable step.

“Guess so.” He replied simply, a gentle smile on his lips as he shooed his rival-come-boyfriend out of the door to find a clean shirt while he finished clearing up.

The next ten minutes the Red Paladin was lost in thought as he began to process all that had gone on, from the concern he'd felt when Lance got injured to the sudden spark of happiness as he slowly began to accept his feelings towards the other paladin. Okay, so he wasn't what he had thought was his 'type' but the difference wasn't exactly bad either even if he was a little mad that it had been his 'rival' that had sparked his infatuation.

“Stupid Lance, and his stupid face....” He grumbled as he balled the damaged shirt in his hands after not having the heart to throw it in the trash. The garment was both useless and unwearable so why keep it? After several moments debating what he should do with the item, he quickly hurried back to his room to hide his little memento before anyone saw and decided to ask questions.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After 24 hours Keith and Lance are still adjusting to being a couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just changed the rating to M for mature... Though not immediately I do see them getting pretty intimate in later chapters. I admit I never set out to have that happen but the muse is taking me there so I apologise in advance okay haha.

Keith had been in slightly higher spirits after the previous day, sure plenty of guilt remained after the injury Lance had sustained after leaping between him and the cybernetic Gladiator, however the incident had forced them to talk it out and now they were 'technically' dating.  
He paused as he thought about that terminology, they were boyfriends yet to be dating wouldn't that mean going on an actual 'date'? Frustratingly enough there wasn't really anywhere to go when you're already hurtling through the cosmos in search of planets to liberate and fleets to dismantle. Now the Red paladin was finally missing Earth… okay so he may have taken to living alone in a shack in the desert chasing energy signals, but he wished he had access to all the amazing sights now he had finally learned how to let his guard down around another. There was also a huge part of him that would probably kill for a pizza, or to watch some trashy sci-fi and pick apart all the inaccuracies. All he knew was that he should maybe take Lance somewhere even if not on a proper date but as a way to somehow treat him to make up for getting him hurt.

Being mid-day he'd assumed that his 'boyfriend' would be up and about flexing his needlessly large ego, but there was no sign of him in any of the usual places, the only place he hadn't gotten around to searching was Lance's room though surely he couldn't have slept in that late, right? Tightening the grip on the duffel bag he broke into a light jog as he continued his search.

“You in a hurry?”

Keith spun around to see Hunk with his arms laden with parts for only God knows what, the bundle itself looked as though it had been precariously stacked and no doubt heavier than the Yellow Paladin made it look. He had to admit it was easy to forget how freakishly strong he was, Hunk was a beast in an almost awe inspiring way. 

“Not really, just promised Lance I'd lend him something.” He lied as he gripped the handle a little tighter, though he was in fact taking its contents to him, the bag itself was filled with healing ointments and bandages. Of course Hunk didn't need to know that.

“Wow... Even you're acting weird.” He stated letting out a soft grunt as he shifted some of the machine parts in his arms, keeping them in the same position was only making his arms sore and red. “It's just Lance was a little too chipper this morning and now you seem a bit eager to see him, I thought you guys didn't really get on.”

“What are you talking about?” The red Paladin's voice took on an almost defensive edge as he tried to neither confirm nor deny that something had gone on between them, he didn't really have a problem but he wondered if Lance wanted to keep their relationship a secret for now. “I just think I need to make an effort to reconnect with everyone again, you know since I sort of look like this now.” He pointed at his face which was no longer fully human, and had been the cause of him shutting everyone out so suddenly which only served to alienate himself from the others.

Hunks features softened slightly as he set his burden down on the ground for a moment as he decided to give Keith his undivided attention at least for the moment.  
“Keith, buddy. You really don't need to stress over it so much, we're still a good team, I mean I still like you and well, Lance is still ranting about you so that hasn't changed at least....”  
He'd been just about to list the others when Keith interrupted the Yellow Paladin's babbling.

“Thanks, big guy.” Keith smiled as he crouched down to help load up the larger male’s arms with the parts that Pidge probably requested him to get. “I'm fine, really so no need to worry about that.”

Choosing not to pry more than he needed to, Hunk just stared at his fellow paladin and made an action that closely resembled a shrug- well, as close to one as he could manage with the heap of metal in his arms.  
“Anytime, but I meant it. Don't push yourself too hard.”

“Oh!” The engineer jolted as he suddenly remembered something that had been bothering him since earlier. “I think Lance may have pulled something but refused to let me look at it. Could you maybe try to see if he'll listen to you as he seemed to be having trouble moving?”

“Y-yeah, sure thing.” He replied as he exited the conversation and continued his journey to Lance's room.

Minutes later he stood outside the other paladin’s room, his chest heaving slightly with effort after his jog as he knocked on the door. 

“Lance? It's me, Keith.” He announced as he pounded the door a couple more times for good measure. “You gonna let me in or am I---Holy shit what the hell is that?”

Keith just stared at the Blue Paladin whose face was slathered in green goop with the consistency of guacamole though it probably wasn't. “You look ridiculous.”

“Wow, that's cold.” He replied as he shot his partner a disapproving stare. “Besides there's nothing wrong with wanting to keep up with a good skin care routine.”

Again Keith just stared but this time he said nothing, this was Lance. His actions never made much sense so there really was no point getting too bent out of shape over it. It wasn't just the face mask looking thing but he was wearing that baggy blue Altean robe, faded jeans under that and those dumb looking lion slippers, even his chestnut brown hair had not survived a good night’s sleep.

“Uh-huh, if you say so.” Keith wasn't entirely convinced as he shuffled though the door and dumped his bag on the bed, the covers probably had been a mess since early that morning. This had been the first time he'd actually set foot in Lance's room which was pretty cluttered when compared to his own. Clothes piled up on a nearby chair, yesterday’s underwear still lingered at the foot of the bed leaving the Red Paladin feeling a little uncomfortable or disgusted. Then there were a few posters of some attractive alien women, though he was torn between the other trying too hard to come off as totally straight (Laughable since both males were now dating) or the fact that he was fairly certain that Lance was most likely some kind of xenophile, he'd lost count of how many missions his now boyfriend had tried to 'flirt' with alien races to an almost cringe-worthy level. However Keith had the common sense to shut down those thoughts before he risked over thinking that he being part Galran made him some kind of novelty at best. Thankfully he knew that the Blue Paladin didn't think too deeply on it either, he'd most likely flirt with anything with a pulse, alien, human it was all probably the same to him. They had only been 'dating' less than 24 hours it was no doubt a little unreasonable to have Lance change that suddenly, especially when he didn't really understand his own feelings and urges towards the other pilot.

“Anyway wash that crap off your face and sit your ass over here.”

“Okay fine.” Lance shrugged before slinking into the rooms en suite bathroom to sort his face out, not entirely sure why his boyfriend seemed to have gotten a little more blunt upon entering the room.

Moments later he'd perched on the end of the bed and was now staring intently at Keith before wandering over to the red hold-all that remained where Keith had initially tossed it.

“So uh, what's in the bag?” He nodded his head in the direction of the aforementioned item before unzipping it without any verbal permission from his fellow paladin, only to feel a little disappointed that it was only a few first aid essentials.

“Quiznak.” He hissed as he let the bag flop down onto his lap, but not before shooting the other a slightly betrayed look. “You really suck at this whole 'romance' thing don't you?”

Again Keith remained silent for a moment biting his tongue lest he said something he'd regret, was he meant to find his lover (could he be referred to as such yet?) quite so frustrating? 

“Not even a 'hello' kiss? Now that's just mean.” The Blue Paladin was now pouting like a petulant child, how could Keith have taken his whining seriously, again Lance being Lance seemed to be some form of universal constant that seemed to offer Keith some comfort despite all the chaos going on with being part of a resistance. It was just so....Normal.

“That was because I was not about to put my lips on your face when you looked like you'd dunked your head into your breakfast.” He smirked. “Or did Coran tell you that the food goo was an amazing face mask? That's what happened isn't it?”

“First of all that was rude. And secondly you now owe me a kiss as an apology.”

“Are you really so bent out of shape over me not kissing you?”

“Yes.”

/Is he for real?/  
“Okay fine.... You'll get your kiss but you're gonna need to lose the robe first.” He stated matter of factly as he nodded towards the garment.

“Wait, what?” Lances eyes were as big as saucers as he stared up at Keith with a gaping mouth, only for it to shift into a coy grin. “I see, you can't wait to get a piece of the Lance.”

“What are you talking about?” It would seem that the accidental innuendo had flown way over Keith's head as he just stared at Lance as though he were some kind of idiot. Right now all he wanted was to access his wound to ensure that it hadn't gotten infected or pulled apart. “Just let me look at your wound.”

Lance's face turned a little sour as the Red Paladin didn't play along with his little comment, he'd have thought that the other would start to loosen up around him a little more. “Okay, fine.”

With that said he let the bath robe slip down off of his shoulders so it now pooled at the belt around his waist revealing yesterday's bandages that had a little speckling of dried blood against the off-white fabric. At the very least that seemed pretty normal thus far, now all that remained was to remove them without disturbing the injury in any way.  
Tentatively Keith began to unravel the dressing all while being mindful of his claws near the others skin, he didn't want to accidentally snag the sutures. Lance continued to whine a little although he was far too deep in concentration to pay him much mind as he focused on the task at hand until the soiled fabric was finally discarded onto the floor.  
Keith let out a sharp breath as he realised that he'd forgotten to breathe as he completed that part of his task, relief finally hitting that he'd managed that without his sharp claws undoing yesterday's hard work. More importantly it looked like the injury seemed to be scabbing over nicely... or as nice as a healing injury could get, either way Keith was willing to take what he could get in that regard.  
“So how does it look?” Lance craned his head in order to give his fellow paladin his full unwavering attention, after all it wasn't as though he could actually see the state his back was in. 

“Not bad... There's a slight snag on the sutures but that might be just be from where I panicked.” His tone remained even as he then began to grab a damp swab and clean around the edges of the wound. “Might leave a scar though.”

“Ah, right.” Lance couldn't help but notice that Keith's voice had taken a slightly softer edge as he spoke that last part, it wasn't anything glaringly obvious, just subtle. Clearly the Red Paladin still hadn't shaken the guilt from his system. “Well serves me right for not bringing my bayard, it happens.”

“I almost got you killed!” Keith snapped, finally no longer able to suppress both the guilt and the worry that had welled up inside him, causing Lance to visibly flinch at the others raised voice. “You should be mad at me, I was reckless and we both know it.”

“Well it's a little pointless punishing someone that's already punishing themselves enough for an entire garrison.”

Keith's hands dropped from the Blue Paladin's shoulders in defeat, he hated to admit it but Lance had pretty much hit the nail on the head. He'd never been one for self-doubt, over the years he'd spent plenty of time getting by just fine alone so he never had to deal with the consequences to his often impulsive actions. Now that he had the rest of team Voltron and his confusing relationship with the Blue Paladin he now had people he didn't want to hurt or disappoint. Yet nonetheless he would not change it, they had become the family he'd never had and no matter what they made of him and his new form he would defend them fiercely if needed.

“Damn I hate it when you're right.” He let out a sigh as he continued to stare at the others back, searing the consequence of his recklessness into his mind so he'd never do that again.

“Oh?” That shit eating grin was back plastered on Lances face as he shifted around so he was staring Keith in those large golden eyes of his, admittedly he sort of missed that pretty shade of purple they had been prior to the transformation but this was still pleasing in its own way. “Did I hear you correctly? Did you say I was....” He let out a dramatic gasp. “....right?”

Again the Blue Paladin had succeeded in goading his rival? Lover? Out of his low mood and was now enjoying the spectacle of Keith trying to refrain from offering up a scathing remark in response, his dusky purple ears twitching in annoyance. Damn, why was pissing Keith off so satisfying?

“Keep that up and you can kiss that uh.... kiss? Goodbye.” The Red paladins words trailed off as he realised that he hadn't articulated that quite as well as he'd hoped. Sadly his warning had zero effect on the other male who just continued to grin like an idiot.

“Now that's just mean.”

“Good.” He huffed as he slightly unravelled a fresh roll of bandages and was about to redress the wound when Lance placed a tanned hand on his.

“Mind waiting a little, I was about to hop in the bath before you turned up.”

“Are you serious?” Keith hissed as he stuffed the dressing back in the bag his golden eyes narrowed in annoyance at how the other paladin had let him clean up his wound only to potentially undo his hard work. “You're going to irritate it.”

“Then what do you suggest I do? Stay skanky and gross?”

Keith went quiet, Lance did have a point, maybe he should have expressed some level of patience instead of throwing common sense to the wind and not asking if he'd washed already.

“No...”

“Or maybe you could keep me company, make sure I don't put too much pressure on the stitches.” A devilish grin made its appearance as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Keith who, once more seemed to miss the Blue Paladin’s attempt at flirting.

“That could work.” He replied as though what Lance had said had made sense, “Though wouldn't it be a little weird?”

“Are you serious?”

“What?”

“Dude. We're dating, you were bound to see me in the buff sooner or later. Did that not even cross your mind?” Lance's grin had evaporated at Keith's remark he was now rubbing his temples as he felt a little frustration towards his boyfriend, not anger or anything of the sort but they as a couple clearly had a lot to work on. Again it wasn't a bad thing, perhaps he'd been a little unreasonable expecting the guy that couldn't understand a basic chant to be a master of flirting.

Keith however looked as though he'd been pinched as he looked away, his ears drooped slightly unable to hide his disappointment despite his face remaining a little stoic in comparison. Truth was he'd never opened up to anybody until he'd met Shiro and in many way's he'd always tried to emulate him to a small degree. Over the years he'd tried so hard to at least act more like everyone else, only to find that his most successful efforts had been when he'd acted aloof and collected, it hadn't been until he'd started bickering with Lance that he'd discovered a lot about himself, but perhaps he hadn't learned fast enough.

Now it was Lance's turn to feel a pang of guilt in his chest as it dawned on him that maybe he'd actually hit a nerve with Keith, and not in that deliberate 'wanting to piss him off kind of way', this was something deeper that had suddenly made him retract into himself.

“Sorry.... That was kind of a dick move.” He finally cut through the awkward silence with his equally awkward apology, “I kinda forgot you had a lot to deal with already. I'll go take that bath now.”

Slowly the taller male rose from his seat and rested his hand on the other paladin's shoulder. “I won’t be long.”

Keith watched as Lance shuffled into the bathroom to finally get himself properly cleaned up, however the Red Paladin's mind was a mess of thoughts and emotions as he kept glancing over to the open door with a cloud of steam drifting out of it as the water continued to run. He'd not expected for their new relationships to already show obstacles, of course they had fought a lot in the past and would no doubt bicker and argue some more on top of that, but that was a little different, for the first time Keith actually wanted to try to make an effort with Lance. He was an idiot but he was pretty much his kind of idiot and if he were being truly honest he actually trusted him.

Minutes later Lance had sank into the bath, wincing a little as the hot water lapped at his wound, for some reason he thought back to his mother when she'd clean his scrapes as a child stating that if it didn't hurt a little then it wasn't getting cleaned. He was sure that was some strange logic that was common all around that most mothers tended to have. He then wondered what she'd have made of his life choices such as taking on his duty as a Paladin of Voltron, or the fact that he had finally fallen for that stupid rival of his.

/Stupid Keith / He let out a groan of frustration before gabbing the bar of soap and lathering its foam all over his face. He'd been so engrossed in that task that he hadn't noticed that Keith had finally entered the room and was hovering a little awkwardly over by the door.

“Can I come in?”

“Uwaghhhhh!”

The Blue Paladin jumped out of his skin, the bar of soap exited his grip and had flown from his slippery palms and missed Keith's head by a couple of inches.

“What is your problem? I thought you wanted me in here earlier.”

“I di--- Owowowowowowwwww.” Lance trailed off into a string of pained noises as the suds suddenly got into his eyes, however his attempts at cleaning them from his eyes were futile after dumping a whole ton of bubble bath into the water prior to hopping in.  
“Shit. Ahhh!”

“Hold still.” Keith instructed his partner firmly as he sought out a clean flannel and soaked it under the cold tap before perching on the edge of the bath tub. Carefully he began to dab at the area around the others eyes as not to cause any more irritation. His eyes fixated on Lances face as he tried not to look down towards the area where those slick tanned thighs poked out the top of the water, he was truly thankful that the sheer amount of bubbles obscured Lance's manhood. All things considering Keith wasn't quite ready to see 'that' just yet.

“Is that better?” The Red Paladin asked as he kept the flannel in place though mostly so the other paladin could not see the darker purple hue that adorned his cheeks.

“Yeah.... Thanks.” Lance replied as he finally pulled the damp cloth away from his face, and much to Keith's dismay his cheeks were still burning.

“Wait..... Are you blushing?”

“Wha-- No! Don't be stupid.” The hybrid was trying his hardest to deny it yet with each adamant denial his blush only deepened much to Lance's amusement.

“Ahhh so CUTE!!! You love meeeee.” He teased as he savoured the shorter male's embarrassment.

“Die.” Keith retorted as he went to get up, only for his movements to be halted by a wet hand on his wrist pulling him downwards into the tub causing all the suds and water to overflow into the floor.

“I hate you so much.” The Red Paladin hissed indignantly as he tried to get up out of the water only to be pulled in towards Lance's chest, his mood only growing more irritable the more water sank into his clothes.

“Nah, you don't.”

“Then you're an idiot.” He stated as he resigned himself to his forced soak, though there were worse things than to savour a wet hug... He just hoped that next time they could do that minus the bath.


End file.
